Reflections: Negative Negotiations
by AlaskanFan
Summary: This is a one-shot following the tag of J. Edgar's Ghost in which Amanda blackmails Lee for dinner at Spencer's in exchange for the negative of an embarrassing photo. Season 3


I created REFLECTIONS as a short story format to combine bits of personal history with episode fillers. There are enticing glimpses of Lee's past throughout the series but writing stories about Lee solo (before Amanda) just isn't much fun – thus, the blend of canon and memories in REFLECTIONS.

This is a one-shot following the tag of J. Edgar's Ghost in which Amanda blackmails Lee for dinner at Spencer's in exchange for the negative of an embarrassing photo. Season 3

Thanks to :

\- Eugenie Ross-Leming and Brad Buckner for creating a terrific show

\- Bruce Boxleitner and Kate Jackson for creating memorable characters

\- the fans at Just Walk With Me who analyzed the blackmail photo (on page 16/16 for JEG)

\- all of you writers and readers who keep a good thing going!

 **Reflections: Negative Negotiations** – by AlaskanFan

Spencer's did not disappoint. The food, the lighting, the table décor, the music – all created the right ambience for delicate negotiations. The waiter removed their dinner plates, took their dessert order and stepped away again, barely intruding on the charged intimacy at the table.

"You said, 'dinner at Spencer's and we'll take it from there.' How does this weigh so far in purchasing the negative?" Lee's voice was husky and low. He knew how far he _hoped_ they would take it, but this was her game and he would let her call the shots. The glittering sequins across the bodice of her dress had tantalized him all evening.

"It's been an exquisite evening so far, but I think I should know more about what you are buying so that I can evaluate the cost." She leaned forward and stray tendrils of her hair swayed with the movement. She smiled beguilingly as she demanded, "Tell me about the photo."

Lee was fascinated by her playfulness and decided to respond in kind, "What do you know about it? Where did you find it?" With the dinner plates out of the way, their hands joined in the center of the table.

"I asked first," she said, lifting her chin and her eyebrows in challenge. There was a short silence as she decided whether to answer. "It was in a folder in Francine's desk with a few other photos. I had access to her desk, along with her security card, while Paul Barnes was here." She didn't want to mention the four black books which had required her to use Francine's security code. Those women had no right to intrude on this evening, not even as mere memory.

"Other photos?" Lee chuckled. "That _does_ refresh my memory."

"You dress like that often? How hard can it be to remember?" Amanda laughed with him. His fingers were sliding up and down her fingers, and the physical interaction was providing steady competition to the conversation.

"Like I said in the office, that was three Christmases ago – 1982. After the Christmas office party had tapered off, several of us moved the festivities to a hot new bar on M street. The woman in the picture was a customer at the bar who just fell in with us. She got us playing charades based on commercials. The more we drank, the crazier the charades got. Billy found out about it and bawled us out for letting it get so out of hand. If that woman had been an enemy agent, or heck, even a newspaper reporter, the Agency could have looked awfully foolish. He decreed that there could be no more "after the party" Christmas parties in public places. He was really steamed." Lee grinned at the memory and shook his head.

"I can imagine. Commercials, huh? Which ones? Maybe that will explain some of the other photos in her file. Let me think. In one photo, Leatherneck was standing on a table in a silly pose." She resisted the pull of his seduction until negotiations were complete. His left hand was now stroking her right wrist and she was intensely aware of her accelerating pulse.

"Leatherneck was doing a bad imitation of flamenco dancing for that commercial with the line 'Stop! That's no way to kill roaches.' That one was pretty tame. I had no idea Francine was taking photos that night. Of course, I was pretty sloshed and I had no idea about a lot of things by then." The light-hearted conversation belied the more subtle romantic interaction.

"She had some racy photos of Myrtle Stamps from the Security Clearance Department and Jenny Chang, too."

"Those are perfect blackmail photos. Jenny was doing the 'Tan – don't burn' commercial. She pulled her panties up so high I thought Leatherneck's eyes would pop out of his head. And... Stamps... oh, yeah, she was doing 'Lifts and Separates.' I laughed so hard I nearly hurt myself watching her lifting and separating while the guesses got wilder and wilder."

"That _does_ explain their photos. What were you? No, let me guess." Amanda's eyes narrowed speculatively as she thought about the photo. It was hard to think while he was caressing each finger of her left hand, so she stilled his hands by placing her right hand on top of his. "The Chiquita banana? Did you have to sing the jingle?"

"Bingo! Since it was charades, I _hummed_ the jingle while dancing. I didn't think they would guess the answer with only a basket of fruit on my head. My act was a big hit, obviously, because I won first place. That's why _I_ have the champagne." He explained with a flourish. The waiter arrived with one dessert, two forks and two coffees. They prepared their coffees and Amanda took a small bite of the cheesecake. As the sweet confection melted on her tongue, she considered the success of her blackmail attempt thus far.

Before she could speak, Lee returned to the negotiations. "Since the costume is quite ridiculous, and shows that I won by being the _most ridiculous_ ," he lowered his voice seductively to be more persuasive, "I would be willing to pay handsomely for the negative." His eyes lingered on her lips, dropped briefly to her decolletage. "Besides dinner, I am prepared to offer dancing to an excellent jazz band, plus, uh..." Lee's smile was his most winsome but he glanced away as he put forward the rest of his offer, "if that's not enough, I could, uh... sweeten the deal by including a nightcap at my place." With the last four words, his eyes returned to Amanda's and the direct force of his intentions sent tingles down her spine, and left her momentarily breathless. After so many near kisses, finally, an opportunity to move decisively from casual dating to... something more serious.

"Ooh," she purred, "you make an offer I can hardly resist. I think that's more than adequate to pay for the negative." She paused to consider. "Yes. It's a deal." She could hardly breathe and it was impossible to shift her eyes from his gaze.

His whole face lit with pleasure and desire. He lifted her hand and kissed it, thinking of all the kisses he planned to enjoy this evening. It would be their first _real_ kiss followed by all of the ones that had been waiting for the right opportunity - time alone together with no interruptions. His heart was full of emotions that he couldn't put into words, but he certainly knew how to demonstrate those emotions with his body. Into this perfect, magical moment, a nearby diner moved abruptly to leave his table, and collided with a waiter carrying a tray full of desserts. Creme brulee splatted into Amanda's hair and slid down her face. The cherries, cake and whipped cream from a slice of Black Forest cake rained on the remains of their cheesecake and into their coffees. A slice of key lime pie landed squarely in the center of Lee's chest, scattering bits of graham cracker crust down the front of his suit. The noise and hubbub destroyed the elegant ambience of Spencer's.

Wait staff converged with wet towels, effusive apologies, and a chit for a free bottle of wine the next time they dine at Spencer's. The manager's official apology was accompanied by the statement that he would waive the cost of the evening's meal and an offer to reimburse them for dry cleaning.

Several minutes later as Lee assisted Amanda into her car, he smiled ruefully and said, "We'll have to schedule dancing and that nightcap for some other time."

She brushed a few crumbs from the front of his coat and pushed again at the soggy mess that had been a classy chignon. She smiled mischievously and said, "I'm sure we will. I still have the negative!"

 **The End**

Author's Notes:

~ No actual desserts were harmed in the making of this story.

~ I'm sorry but I couldn't let that kiss happen yet; it wouldn't be in canon.


End file.
